Railway-traffic-controlling apparatus



May 14, 1929- J. Econ-:MAN

RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 24, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dm( QN ESSBSN ATTORNEY May 14, 1929. J. P. COLEMAN I RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 24, 1925 INVENTOR 2 @WGW ,A

BY Q XJ #Je ATTORNEY Patented May 14, 1929o UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOI-IN P. COLEMAN, OF EDGEWOOD BOROUGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T 'II-IE UNION SWITCH AND SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A COR- PORATION 0F PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILWAY-TRAPPIC-CONTROLLING APPARATUS.

Application filed September 24, 1925.

My invention relates to railway tratlie controlling apparatus, and part-icularly to apparatus of the type comprising a tratlie controlling device controlled by a manually operable lever through the medium of a valve and a fluid pressure motor'.

One object of my invention is the provision, in apparatus of the type described, of means for limiting the movement of the lever unless both the valve and the traffic controlling device are in predetermined rela tive positions.

I will describe one form` of railway trallic controlling apparatus embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a view, partly diagrammatic, illustrating one form of railway traflie controlling apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a fragmental view showing a part of the switch valve C illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional view along line III- III of Fi g. 2.

Similar' reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the three views.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the reference Vcharacters 1 and 1 designate the rails of a stretch of railway track which is provided with a. traflic controlling device, here illustrated as a switch 2 of t-he usual and well known form. This switch is operated by a fluid pressure motor A comprising a cylinder 3 containing a reciprocable piston 1. Attached to the piston 4 is a plunger 5 which is operatively connected with the movable points of the switch 2 through suitable mechanism which is indicated by the dotted line 5.

The motor A is controlled by a switch valve C comprising a slide valve 7 operating in a valve chamber 6. rThe chamber G is constantly supplied with fluid pressure, from a source not shown in the drawing, through pipe 11. Villen the slide valve is in its normal position, fluid pressure is supplied from chamber 6, through pipe 10 to the lower end of cylinder 3 of motor A and the upper end of this cylinder is connected with atmosphere through pipe 8 and port 9. lVith the valve in this posit-ion therefore the piston l is moved upwardly and the switch then occupies what I shall hereinafter term its normal position. lVhen the Serial No. 58,323.

slide valve 7 occupies its reverse position, pipe S is connected with chamber 6, and pipe 10 is connected through port 9 to atmosphere. The piston 4 is then driven downwardly and the switch 2 is moved to its reverse position.

The valve 7 is provided with two spaced notches 15 and 16 arranged to receive a locking rod 17 when the valve is in the reverse or normal position, respectively. The rod 17 carries an armature 18 associated with a winding 19, and is constantly urged. toward the slide valve 7 by a spring 20. lYhen winding 19 is energized, however, armature 18 is moved outwardly thereby disengaging the rod 17 from the notches in the slide valve and permitting the valve to be shifted by means which I will describe hereinafter. It will be plain, however, that the valve can be shifted only when winding 1.9 is energized to lift the rod 17 clear ofthe valve.

The switch valve C also comprises two oppositely disposed axially aligned cylinders 12 and 12. rlhe cylinder 12 contains a pist0n 13 carrying a stem 14 which engages one end of the slide valve 7, and the cylinder' 12 contains a piston 13 carrying a stem 14 which engages the other end of the slide valve 7. Cylinder 12 is at times supplied with fluid pressure by a valve 21 comprising a valve stem 23 provided with a winding 25 and an armature 2t associated therewith. lVhcn winding 25 is cle-energized the valve stem 23 occupies its left-hand position and cylinder 12 is connected with atmosphere. Then winding 25 of valve 21 is energized, however, the valve stem 23 is moved to the right and cylinder 12 is then disconnected from atmosphere and is connected with a source of fluid pressure. In similar manner' a valve 22 controls the supply of fluid pressure to cylinder 12 so that when winding 25 of valve 22 is (le-energized, cylinder 12 is connected with atmosphere but that when this winding is enerL ed cylinder 12 is supplied with fluid pressure. It will be plain from the drawing that when cylinder 12 is supplied with fluid pressure, piston 13 is moved upwardly to drive the valve 7 to its normal position. hen cylinder 12 is supplied with fluid pressure, however, piston 13 moves downwardly and drives the valve 7 to its reverse position, In either case, of

notches and 16.

The windings 25 and 25*L of valves 2l and 22 and winding 19 are controlled by a mannally operable lever designated in general by the reference character L. This lever comprises a handle 33 and a plurality of contacts arranged to be open or closed in accordance with the position occupied by this handle. The (liagram appearing immediately below the handle 33 1n Fig. 1 of the drawings illustrates the principal positions which may be occupied by the lever. It will be seen `from the drawing that the lever may occupy its 'full normal or lett-hand position N, its full reverse or right-hand position R, or either of two intermediate positions customarily designated as the reverse indicating7 position D, and the normal indicating position B. The various contacts aredesignated by reference characters which correspond to this diagram and which indicate the positions between which the associated contacts is closed. For example, the lowest contact on the lever L is designated by the reference character NB which means that this contact is closed when the lever L is in the normal position, the B position, or any position between these two. f

The circuit for winding 19 may be traced from a suitable source of energy, such as a battery P, through line wire 37, wire 66, contact BD of lever L, wire 67, winding 19 and wires 68 and 69 and line wire 38 back to battery P, the circuit for winding 25 ot valve 21 passes from line wire 37, through wires 66 and 70, contact DR of lever L, wire 71, winding 25 of valve 21, and wire 69 back to line wire 38. lVhen contact NB o'f lever L is closed, current flows from line wire 37, through wires 66 and 72, contact NB of lever L, wire 73, winding 25 of valve 22, and wires 74- and 69 back to line wire 38.

Associated with lever L are a normal indication lock K and a reverse indication lock J. Each of these indication locks comprises a segment 36 operatively connected with the lever L and a magnet`34 having a locking dog 35 controlled thereby. Segment 36 oil lock K is provided with a projection 36u so arranged that when the lever is moved from the reverse position toward the normal position the dog 35 engages the projection 36a and prevents movement of the lever past the normal indicating position B unless magnet 34 is energized. In similar manner segment 36 of lock J is provided with a projection 36b which is arranged to be engaged by the dog 35 at the D position'when the lever is moved from the normal position toward the reverse position unless theI magnet 34 is energized. The magnets 34 of the indication locks K and J are controlled by a polarized indication relay E and by the 'usual quick acting contacts of the lever L. The circuit tor the magnet ot lock l( passes from line wire 37, through wire 55, front contact 56 ot relay E, wire 57, normal contact 5S of relay E, wire 59, contact RB of lever L, wire 60, magnet 34,- of lock K and wire 62 back to line wire 3S. The reverse locking circuit passes from line wire. 37, through wire. 55, front contact 56 of relay E, wire 57, reverse contact 63 olfY relay ll, wire 64, contact ND ot lever L, wire 65, magnet 3-1 of lock J and wires 61 and 62 back to line wire 3S.

The relay E is controlled by two circuit controllers Gr and H. Circuit controller H comprises a movable contact member 29 operatively comiected with the movable points ot the switch 2. lVhen the switch 2 is in the normal position, in which it is illustrated in the drawing, member 29 occupies its normal position in which it engages with two fixed contact lingers 30 and 30". lVhcn the sw'itch is in its reverse position, member 29 occupies its reverse position in which it cngages a second pair ot contact lingers 32 and 3.,. "hen the switch occupies any intermediate position the member 29 occupies a corresponding intermediate position and engages a third pair of contact lingers 31 and 3P.

The circuit controller G comprises a movable contact member 26 which is operatively connected with the slide valve 7 so that the position ot the member 26 is determined by the actual position of the slide valve. W'hen the slide valve is in its normal. position member 26 engages lingers 27 and 27, but when the slide valve occupies its reverse position, member 26 engages fingers 28 and 28u. lVhen the slide valve is in its normal position and the switch 2 is also in its normal position, current lows from line wire 37, through wires 39 and 40. contact 36--29-36 of circuit controller H, wires -'l1 and 42, winding ot' relay E, wires 43, 44 and 15, contact 27--2t`r-27d of circuit controller (l and wires 46 and 1.1-7 back to line wire 3S. lVhen this circuit is closed relay E is supplied with current ot' such polarity thatthe relay is energized in the normal direction and contact 58 is closed. then switch 2 is in its reverse position and the slide valve 7 is also in its reverse position current'. .flows trom line wire 37, through wires 39 and 48, contact- 28a-26-2S of circuit controller (i, wires 49, 44 and L13, wil'iding olf relay lil, wires 42, 50 and 51, contact ;i2"-29-2;2 of circuit controller H, and wires 52 and 47 back to line wire 38. lVlien this circuit is closed the current supplied to relay E is of such polarity that the relay is energized in the reverse direction and contact 63 is closed. It should be pointed out that should` the position of the slide valve not correspond CII to the vposition of switch 2, that is, should the slide valve be in the normal p sition when the switch is in the reverse position, or vice-versa, relay E Will be d e-energized and Aliront cont-act 56 of the relay will be open. It should also be pointed out that during transit of the switch or at any time when the switch is not in the full normal or full reverse position the closing` el contact 31-29-81 oi" circuit controller H .shortcircnits relay E and causes the :lront contact 5G of this relay to open.

As shown in the drawing' the lever L occupies the normal position so that Winding' Q5 of valve 22 is energized. Cylinder 12 therefore supplied with vliuid pre-:sure and valve 7 occupies its normal pcsition. Contact BD ot lever L open so that Winding- 191s tlc-energized and rod 17 enters groove 1G to lock the slide valve in position. Contact DR or lever L is also open .so that .vindintr Q5 ot valve 21 is cle-energized. Since valve 7 is in its normal. position l'luid pressure is supplied to the lovver end et cvliin'ler 3 ol motor A and switch 2 occupies its normal position. Since the slide valve 7 and the switch 2 both occupy their normal positions, relay E is energized in the normal d irection. The circuit for nnng'net .9v-l ol" loch K is open at contactI RB ot lever L and the circuit for magnet 34 of lock J is open a; reverse Contact G3 ot relay E.

In explaining` 'the operation ot' the apparatus I Will tirst assume that the operator in charge of lever L Wishes `to reverse switch Q. Lever L is tiretinoved tovv'ard the reverse position. Blagnet 3de ole the reverse indication lock J is (le-energized, however, so that the movement of the lever is arrested at the D position. The movement ol the lever t'roin the N to the D position de-enerprizes Winding' 25"* of valve 22 and energizes winding,r Q5 olf valve 21. Cylinder 12 is tht-motore supplied with fluid pressure and cylinder 1QfL is connected with atmosphere. The closing of contact BD ot lever l; also lcompletes the circnit for winding 1t) that the rod 17 is lifted out o'l. engagement with the slide valve 7, and the valve is therefore moved to its reverse'position hy piston 13. The reversal of slide 'valve 7 connects the lower end oit cylinder 3 With atmosphere and supplies tluid pressure to the upp end ot' Vthis cylinder. The switch 2 is therefore moved to its reverse position. Then Vthe switch has attained its 'lull reverse position the closing' of contact 32-32fl of circuit controller H completes a circuit tor rea'vY lfl whereby this relay becomes energized in the reverse direction. 1tshould he particularly pointed out that this circuit closed only if the slide valve also occupies reverse position. The closingof reverse contact Gf of relay E completes the circuit.- i'or magnet 3&1 of lock J. Dog 35 of this lock is theretore lifted to permit the movement of lever L to lie completed to its full reverse position ll. As a result of this movement of lever L, contacts Nl) and BD become opened; the opening' olf Contact lll) ile-ener- ;rif/ies the magnet 3l ot lock El, and the opening' ot contact lll) de-energijil/.es winding lt) so that rod 1.7 enters `groove l5 to locl: the slide valve in its reverse position. llvlindingr 2.3 ot' valve 2l remains in its enertfi'fied condi'tiom however, contact Dil remaining closed. ll the operator wishes to restore the switch to its normal position lie lirst nieves the lever L Vtrom the reverse position to the normal indicating' position, 13, vvhere the lever is locked against Vfurther movement liy engagement of doe' 35 oil loch .l with projection lt olf segment El l. lvlilh the lever L in the ll position winding 1t) is energized so that the rod 17 is witlnlravvn Yfrom engagement vvith the valve 7, winding' 15 of valve Q1 is d ,-enerQiZed, and winding' 25" of valve 22 is encre'i-ced. The slide valve 7 is therefore restored to its norrnal position. 11s a. result olf Ythis motion ol valve 7 the piston -Llo1 motto' A moves to its normal poion, thereby driving' the switch 2 to its normal position. lllith the slide valve 7 and the switch Q both occupying` their normal positions a fircuit is closed for relay 1C hy virtue ot' which contact 5S ol this re'a v is closed. Contact lill o'll lever L is already closed so that current is non' supplied to magnet 34- ot loclt l. Doku' 85 ol this lock is therefore l'litcd out ot engagement vvith the projection 36 ol Segment 36 and the operator can complete the movement olE the lever L to the full normal position. The consequent opening' o'l contact lll) (le-energizes 'windingv 1S) and allovvs rod 17 to eater groove 1G in vthe slide valve 7 to lock the valve in its normal position.

@ne `liorin ot switch valve C suitalile for operation as hereinlielfore described is illustrated in Leiters Patent ol the United States No. 1,233,729, `eranted on the 17th dav ol. July, 1917. to l. lltne, Vlor railway trallic controlling' apparatus.

Referring novv to Fins. 2 and 3 l have illustrated o e arrangement. oit apparatus l'or controlline` the mo vahle member 26 of the circuit controller (l in response to the position occupied by the slide valve 7 in a svvitch valve such as illustrated in the patent referred to in the preceding paragrai'ih. ln tl is apparatus the reirrcnce character 7.3 drsienatei-i. the` vaive body containing Ythe valve clian'iher 6 and the slide valve 7. This valve liody supporti; the evlintlers 12 and 12L rontaining the pistons 13 and 13 respectively.

As liest shown in Fifi'. 3 lf prelier to nionnt en the valve body 75 two spaced hase plates 81 and S5 extending' parallel to the direction of motion olf the slide valve 7. Mounted upon the base plate 81 is a spacing member 83 llt) and a supporting member SQ, and a similar spacing member S7 and simporting'f; member 86 are mounted upon the base plate 85. The parts are so constructed that a channel Si :formed between the supporting member S2) and the base plate 81, and a similar oppositely disposed channel SS is it'oi'mcd between the suman-ting member 8G and base plate A driving plate 78 olf inverted U-shape is mounted to reciprocate in the channels 8stand 8S and carries the movable contact member 2G. The downwardly turned ends 7S oi the driving plate 78 enter recesses Si) milled vin the top ot the valve body 75. This valve body is drilled at 76 to receive a pl unger 77 one end ot which engages the lett-hand lace. o't piston 13. The valve body Vis also drilled at 76 to receive a plunger 77 which engages the right-hand tace of piston llk The parts are so proportiomal that the inner opposing faces ot the plungers 77 and 77 abut against the downwardly turned ends 78 of the driving` plate 78. The plate. 7f3 carries an insulating member 7l) to which vis attached the mo valole contact member 2o. lt. will be plain from the drawing, and tromv the description ot' the operation hereinbefore set. forth, that when pistons 12S and 12B" occupy their right-hand positions (as seen in Fig. 2) corresponding to the normal position ot the slide valve, the driving plate 78 and the .movable contact member 2G carried thereby are moved to the right, and when the pistons 13 and 18 occupy theirl left-hainl positions (as seen in Fig. 2) corr spending to the reverse position ot slide valve 7, the driving plate 78 and the movable Contact member 2G are moved to their lett-hand positions. The supporting members 82 and 8G may be utilized to support tixed contacts 27-27, QSQS (Fig. l) in such manner that the operation ot the circuit (.:ontroller will contorni. with the description hereinbefore contained. These l'ixed contacts are omitted trom Figs. 2 and 3 in order to simplit'y the drawi n For purposes of clearness l have described one. arrangement ot apparatus for control.- ling the circuit cont-roller (gl in accordance with the actual position of the slide valve 7 but I do not wish to limit n'iysel t to the particular arrangement of apparatus which l have, shown.

Allilu'ugh I have herein shown and dcscribed only one Atorni ol railway tratli-c coutrolling apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood that variousl changes and n'ioditications may be made therein within the scope oitI the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim is:

1. Railway tratlie conta'olling apparatus comprising a switch operating, cylinders,

means including a slide valve for admitting fluid pressure to one end o'l'i said cylinder or the other according as said valve occupies a normal or a reverse position, means incliniing a manually operable lever Jfor shitting said valve, and a circuit cont-roller operatively connected with said valve l'or governing movenients ot' said lever.

f2. Railway trallic controllingr apparatus comprising a switch operating cylinder, means including a slide valve for admitting lluid pressure to one end ol" said cylinder or the other according as said valve occupies a normal or a reverse position, two fluid pressure motors lfor movingr said slide valve to its normal and reverse positions respectively, means including a manually operable level' lor supplying lluid pressure to one or the other oll said motor, and a circuit controller operatively connected with said slide valve l'or governing movements ot said lever.

El. Railway trallic controlling apparatus conmrising a switch operating cylinder, means including a slide valve tor admitting lluid pressure to one end ot said cylinder o1' the other accordingr as said valve occupies a normal or a reverse position, two lluid pressure motors for moving said slide valve to its normal and reverse positions respectively, two magnets lor controlling' the supply of lluid pressure to said two motors respectively, means including a manually operable lever for energizing one or the other ot said magnets, and a circuit controller operatively connected with said slide valve for governing movements ot' said lever.

Il. Railway tira'tlic controlling apparatus comlpirising a switch operating cylinder, means including a slide valve 'lor admitting fluid pressure to one end olf said cylinder or the other according as said valve occu ies a normal or a reverse position, two luid pressure motors for moving said slide valve to its normal and reverse positions respeetively, two auxiliary valves tor admittingr lluid pressure to one or the other of said motors, two magnets tor controlling said two auxiliary valves respectively, means including a manually operable lever tor controlling the supply of current to said magnets, and a circuit controller operatively connected with said slide valve for governing movements of said lever.

Railway trallic (.:ontrolling apparatus comprising a cylinder, a piston operating therein, a railway switch actuated b v said piston, means including a slide valve for admitting lluid pressure to one end of said cylinder or the other according as the valve occupies a normal or a reverse position, means including a manually operable lever tor shitting said slide valve, and means for controlling said lever jointly by the position of said slide valve and the position of said switch.

6. Railway trallic controlling apparatus comprising a cylinder, a piston operating therein, a. railway switch actuated by said piston, means including a slide valve tor admitting fluid pressure to one end of said cylinder or the other according the valve occupies a normal or a reverse position, means including a manually operable lever for shitting said slide valve, a circuit controller operated by said slide valve, a circuit controller operatively connected with said switch, and means lor controlling said lever jointly by said two circuit controllers.

7. Rail ay t1-allie controlling apparatus comprising a cylinder, a piston operating therein, a railway switch actuated by said piston and having a normal and a reverse position, a slide valve tor admitting fluid pressure to one end or the other ot' said cylinder to move said switch to its normal or itsk reverse position according as Ythe valve is iu anormal or a reverse position, a manually operable lever having normal and reverse positions, means responsive to movement ot said lever towards reverse position lor moving said slide valve to its reverse position, means responsive to movement. ot said lever towards its normal position lor moviin` said slide valve to its normal position, and means ttor if/reventing movement of said lever to its full reverse or its full normal position unless both said slide valve and said switch are in reverse or normal positions.

8. Railway trallic controlling apparatus comprising .a cylinder', a piston operating therein, a railway switch actuated by said piston and having a normal and a reverse position, a slide falve tor admitting fluid pressure to one end or the other otl said cylinder to move said switch to its normal or its reverse position according as the valve is in a normal or a reverse position, a manually operable lever having' normal and reverse positions, means responsive to movement oit said lever towards its reverse position tor moving said slide valve to its reverse position, means responsive to movement ot said lever towards its normal position tor moving said slide valve to its normal position, a circuit controller operated by said slide valve and includimr a normal and a reverse contact closed wnen the valve occupies its normal and .reverse positions respectively, a circuit controller operated by said switch and including a normal and a reverse contact closed when the switch occupies its normal and reverse positions respectively, and means for preventing movement ol said lever to its fullV reverse or its full normal position unless both said reverse contacts or both said normal contacts are closed.

Railway tratlic controlling apparatus comprising a switch operating cylinder,

means including a slide valve for admitting tluid pressure to one end of said cylinder or the other according as said valve occupies a normal or a reverse position,means including a manually operable lever for shitting said valve, a circuit controller operatively connected with said valve and including a normal and a reverse contact which contacts are closed when the valve is in the normal and reverse positions respectively, and means controlled by said contacts tor governing movements ot said lever.

10. Railway trallic controlling apparatus con'iprising a manually operable lever having a normal and a reverse position, a valve having a normal and a reverse position, means ellective when said lever is moved toward its reverse position tor moving said valve to its reverse position, a trallic controlling device having a normal and a reverse position, means for moving said device to its reverse position when said valve is moved to its reverse position, and means for preventing movement ot' said lever to its full reverse position unless said valve is in its reverse position.

ll. Railway trallic controlling apparatus comprising a manually operable lever having a normal and a reverse position, a valve having a normal and a reverse position, means etfective when said lever is moved to Yard its reverse position for moving said valve to its reverse position, a trallic controlling device having a normal and a reverse position, means ior moving said device to its reverse position when said valve is moved to its reverse position, and means for preventing movement oit said lever to its lull r-everse position unless said valve and said device are both in their reverse positions.

l2. ln combination, a. switch valve comprising a slide valve, pistons for operating said slide valve, a manually operable lever, means controlled by said lever or positioning said pistons, a contact member operatively connected with said pistons, and means responsive to the position of said contact member tor at times limiting the movement et' said lever.

13. The combiuatiim with a switch valve comprising a slide valve and a piston for operating said slide valve, ot a circuit controller comprising a movable contact member operatively connected with said piston.

lat. rlhe combination with a switch valve comprising a valve body containing a slide valve and a piston tor operating said slide valve, ot a plunger passing through said body and engaging said piston, and a circuit controller comprising a Contact member controlled by said plunger.

l5. The combination with a switch valve comprising a valve body containing a slide valve, and a pair of aligned cylinders provided with two pistons one in each cylinder for operating` said slide valve, of two aligned plungers passing through said valve body and engaging said two pistons respectively, a movable plate interposed between said 5 plungers outside said valve body, and a eircuit controller comprising a Contact member operatively connected with said plate.

16. The combination with a switch valve comprising a slide valve and fluid pressure motor device for operating said slide valve, l0 of a circuit controller comprising a movable Contact member operatively connected with said slide valve.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature.

JOHN P. COLEMAN. 

